Biden Will Revamp Campus Sexual Assault Policy, Plans Public Hearing

The Biden administration is taking its first concrete steps in revoking Trump-era regulations on campus sexual misconduct, announcing a public hearing. The hearing will kick off a formal Title IX revision process of “proposed rule-making,” NBC News reports.

Former Education Secretary Betsey DeVos implemented divisive Title IX changes, narrowing the definition of sexual misconduct and the situations in which schools could intervene.

The exact timeline for the hearing has not yet been revealed, but officials say it will run for several days and have an online component.

Information on scheduling, as well as instructions on how to register to participate, will appear on the news website of the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights.

The Department of Education says it hopes to get “important insights” from “many students, parents, teachers, faculty members, school staff, administrators, and other members of the public.”

The “proposed rule-making” process also contains a period for public comment. Ahead of the formal change the Department of Education plans to issue new guidelines on how schools should interpret current Title IX rules.

Plans for the hearing and review were announced in a public letter.

Biden has had Trump’s Title IX changes in his crosshairs for a long time, pledging during the presidential campaign to revoke them. Last month he signed an executive order instructing Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to conduct a review.

"Today's action is the first step in making sure that the Title IX regulations are effective and are fostering safe learning environments for our students while implementing fair processes," Cardona said Tuesday.